Among her many leadership roles in education, she's the former principal of Hato Paora Catholic Maori Boys' College and Masterton's Chanel College.

Mayor Grant Smith sees a positive future for Marshall-Lobb (Rangitane and Ngati Rangi), who is fluent in New Zealand's three official languages - English, Te Reo and New Zealand Sign.

Despite being a first-term councillor, Smith says the former Catholic school principal would bring mana to the deputy mayor's role.

"Debi's appointment is a real milestone for Palmerston North, with this triennium being the first time our city has had Maori ward councillors and the first time we have a wahine Maori as deputy mayor."

Smith said Marshall-Lobb's previous leadership and governance experience chairing the NZ National Teacher's Council and as a school principal would be assets.

"She has a passion for education and a real commitment to bringing people together and strengthening communities. Debi is the perfect fit for a deputy mayor, and I look forward to working with her."

The mother of four is currently the acting head of Maori department at Palmerston North Boys' High School.

Marshall-Lobb says the 133 ethnicities represented in Palmerston North is a real taonga.

Asked what she would like to achieve in the next three years, she says she hopes she'll be able to look back and see people were not afraid of "things Maori" and could see the Treaty partnership had benefits for everyone.

All the councillors voted in at the election were officially welcomed with a powhiri in Te Marae o Hine early last Wednesday evening.

Following that ceremony, the councillors were sworn in and the inaugural council meeting was held in the council chamber.

Marshall-Lobb's appearance in the council chamber for the swearing-in of the new council was personally poignant. Her mother was a city councillor from 1989 to 1995.

"I know my late mother, Yvonne Marshall, would be looking down and smiling as I follow in her footsteps," Marshall-Lobb says.

Source

• Stuff

Speaking earlier in the week Fa'asavalu said: 'We are from the same club in Samoa -the Marist club in Apia. I used to play against Alesana in school games and then at the weekend I would play for Marist with Henry Tuilagi. I was at St Joseph's College in Apia and Alesana went to Chanel College.

"These days he is a winger but back then when we played against each other, he was at No 12. He was a big boy!"

The Tuilagi family has strong connections with Leicester Tigers; Alex's brothers Henry, Anitelea (Andy), and Fereti (Freddie) are all former players and two younger brothers, Vavae and Manu Tuilagi both played in a game for Leicester Tigers against the Classic All-Blacks, on the 25 May 2008.

Source

• Mail Online
• Wikipedia
• Image: The Guardian

The celebrations will be attended by many former teachers and students from all over the world, including one of the founders, Father Conrad Bryant.

Chanel was founded by the Marist Fathers. The school was originally a boys only boarding school, with special permission for non boarders, but later became a day school. In 1992 it became co-educational.

The first principal was Fr Bernard Doherty. The first Head Prefect was Lino Samoa, who later received from his family his chiefly title of "Taupa'u".

The school has been staffed by a combination of Marist Fathers, Salasian sisters, various volunteer organizations and regular employees.